Related Links

Flagler corrections deputy accused of running red light in crash

Published: Thursday, March 28, 2013 at 6:13 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, March 28, 2013 at 10:01 p.m.

BUNNELL — A Flagler County corrections deputy is accused of running a red light Thursday and crashing into the car of a local wrecker employee, according to a Florida Highway Patrol spokesman.

Sandra Gay, 58, had just returned from transporting two female inmates to the Lowell Correctional Institute for Women in Marion County, said Undersheriff Rick Staly, when she ran the red light at the intersection of State Road 100 and U.S. 1. Gay crashed into Paul Salvatore, 45, an employee of John's Towing who was heading north on U.S. 1 to work about 8:40 a.m. Thursday.

Gay and Salvatore were transported to Florida Hospital Flagler with minor injuries.

"He was on his way to work but he went home after he was released from the hospital," said John Rogers, owner of the wrecker company. "I haven't talked to him since, but I understand he is OK."

Gay, according to Staly, was returning to the jail after fueling the marked sheriff's car at the county facility behind the Government Services Complex.

"There are no red-light cameras at that intersection," Staly said. "There were witnesses who saw her run the red light, and there was video from a nearby gas station that confirmed it."

Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Dylan Bryan said the video did not show the actual red light and "was rendered useless" as evidence but said there were enough witnesses who said she ran the light that Gay was charged with violation of a traffic control device.

"She's not suspended yet," Staly said. "We will conduct an internal investigation and she will have to go before the accident review board after the FHP investigation is complete."

This is the second crash in less than two months involving a Flagler sheriff's deputy. On Feb. 13, Deputy Christopher Lee Crego, 31, was westbound on S.R. 100 responding to reports of a traffic accident with his lights and sirens when he struck a Chevy van driven by Eduardo Luis Pacheco, killing the 64-year-old Palm Coast man.

"He is back to duty, but he's not driving a car," Staly said. "He's riding as a passenger, so it's a two-man car right now."

The FHP has not completed its investigation of that crash. Once that investigation is done, he will also go before the accident review board.

"We (law enforcement officers) drive millions of miles a year," Staly said. "They are human and make mistakes."

<p>BUNNELL &mdash; A Flagler County corrections deputy is accused of running a red light Thursday and crashing into the car of a local wrecker employee, according to a Florida Highway Patrol spokesman. </p><p>Sandra Gay, 58, had just returned from transporting two female inmates to the Lowell Correctional Institute for Women in Marion County, said Undersheriff Rick Staly, when she ran the red light at the intersection of State Road 100 and U.S. 1. Gay crashed into Paul Salvatore, 45, an employee of John's Towing who was heading north on U.S. 1 to work about 8:40 a.m. Thursday. </p><p>Gay and Salvatore were transported to Florida Hospital Flagler with minor injuries. </p><p>"He was on his way to work but he went home after he was released from the hospital," said John Rogers, owner of the wrecker company. "I haven't talked to him since, but I understand he is OK." </p><p>Gay, according to Staly, was returning to the jail after fueling the marked sheriff's car at the county facility behind the Government Services Complex. </p><p>"There are no red-light cameras at that intersection," Staly said. "There were witnesses who saw her run the red light, and there was video from a nearby gas station that confirmed it." </p><p>Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Dylan Bryan said the video did not show the actual red light and "was rendered useless" as evidence but said there were enough witnesses who said she ran the light that Gay was charged with violation of a traffic control device. </p><p>"She's not suspended yet," Staly said. "We will conduct an internal investigation and she will have to go before the accident review board after the FHP investigation is complete." </p><p>This is the second crash in less than two months involving a Flagler sheriff's deputy. On Feb. 13, Deputy Christopher Lee Crego, 31, was westbound on S.R. 100 responding to reports of a traffic accident with his lights and sirens when he struck a Chevy van driven by Eduardo Luis Pacheco, killing the 64-year-old Palm Coast man. </p><p>"He is back to duty, but he's not driving a car," Staly said. "He's riding as a passenger, so it's a two-man car right now." </p><p>The FHP has not completed its investigation of that crash. Once that investigation is done, he will also go before the accident review board. </p><p>"We (law enforcement officers) drive millions of miles a year," Staly said. "They are human and make mistakes."</p>